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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Leopard Print Nails - Rawr!

I haven't used rub-on decals since I was...well...much younger than I am now. I haven't even seen them in stores for years. So when I saw these decal sheets from "That's It" at Beautytech.com (link to the right), I had to try them. I'm not very good at stamping, and thought these might be a viable alternative. I wasn't sure what to expect as far as application goes, so I cut the longer sheet of decals into small squares for easier handling.

I started with Zoya "Kalmia" from the Fall "Truth" collection as my base color.The instructions for the rub-on decals say to wait 3-10 minutes, until the polish is dry to the touch. Do not use quick-dry sprays or drops, because the decals won't stick to oily surfaces. I think I only waited about 4-5 minutes - Zoya dries quickly.

Then came the fun part. I took the backing paper off one of my little squares, and pressed it onto one of my nails. I took an orange stick and rubbed gently - it didn't take any real pressure at all to transfer the decals to my nail. And because each part was separate on this particular design, I could move the sheet around and use extra bits and pieces to round out the design where needed. I kid you not - this was super easy, and quick. Just as easy as using a sticker, but these designs are completely flat, just like a stamp or polished nail art.

Doing all ten of my fingernails took around 2 minutes, tops. No mess, no fuss, incredibly simple.Then to add contrast, I used my dotting tool and Zoya "Penny" to fill in the centers of the design. A few coats of topcoat, some clean up, and voila! Leopard Print Nails, with very little fuss.

I'll definitely be ordering more of these rub-on decals...I'm totally in love with them, because they're so easy to use, and completely flat like a stamped design. I think next time I'll put random rhinestones in some of the cut-out areas just for a little bling.